Daily Podcast – July 1, 2021

1st July 2021 By: Thabi Shomolekae - Creamer Media Senior Writer

Daily Podcast – July 1, 2021

President Cyril Ramaphosa

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: ConCourt finds Ramaphosa did not mislead Parliament on CR17 donations; Health Regulator to announce decision on Sinovac vaccine soon; And, Zuma Foundation condemns ConCourt for jail sentence

 

ConCourt finds Ramaphosa did not mislead Parliament on CR17 donations

President Cyril Ramaphosa was vindicated today when the Constitutional Court found that he did not mislead Parliament regarding donations made to the CR17 campaign that saw him successfully run for president of the African National Congress.

The court dismissed the appeal brought by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

Last year the Gauteng High Court set aside her report into Ramaphosa’s campaign, in which she said Ramaphosa had misled Parliament about a R500 000 donation from Bosasa and had personally benefitted from the campaign.

In the ConCourt ruling, Justice Chris Jafta affirmed that the President did not wilfully mislead Parliament and added that Mkhwebane was "wrong on the law and the facts".

 

Health Regulator to announce decision on Sinovac vaccine soon

South African Health Products Regulatory Authority CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela announced that a decision on the Sinovac vaccine will be communicated in the coming days.

Last month, SAHPRA revealed that applications had been received for the Sputnik V and Sinovac’s Coronavac vaccines and that the evaluation of the Coronavac application was at an advanced stage.

Last month, SAHPRA received documentation for the Sinopharm vaccine developed by the China National Pharmaceutical Group in China. SAHPRA will now commence with evaluating the data in assessing the efficacy of the vaccine.

SAHPRA has, so far, approved the AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines for use in South Africa.

 

And, Zuma Foundation condemns ConCourt for jail sentence

Former president Jacob Zuma’s foundation has said that the majority ruling by South Africa's top court, sentencing him to 15 months in jail, was an "emotional and angry" unconstitutional decision.

Zuma failed to appear at a corruption inquiry led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in February, prompting the inquiry's lawyers to ask the Constitutional Court to seek an order for his imprisonment.

On Tuesday, the court sentenced Zuma to jail, and gave him five days to appear before police.

The Jacob Zuma Foundation said Zuma had never believed he was above the law, but had only wanted his rights protected.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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